GENDERNEXUS INC.

GenderNexus is doing something radical in a part of the country that is known for its conservative ideologies; yet, they are committed to being bridge builders in their efforts. Founded in 2014, GenderNexus was created to address a growing need for compassionate, knowledgeable, and affirming social services specifically for transgender and nonbinary communities in Indiana.\n\nGenderNexus is committed to 1) reducing the social, systemic, economic, and healthcare barriers to gender affirmation; 2) increasing independence and sustainability in seven dimensions of wellness; and 3) offering safe space for community engagement. This is accomplished by providing all services at no cost to the community.\n\nGenderNexus envisions a community of care that extends beyond geographical and cultural boundaries, empowering transgender and nonbinary communities to advocate for gender equality around the globe.

GenderNexus provides safe space for its wide range of services, offered at no cost, including:\n\n- Short-Term Counseling\n- Youth Groups\n- Adult Groups\n- Parent and Caregiver Group\n- Partners Group\n- Adolescent Health\n- School Advocacy\n- Legal Information\n- Referral Letters\n- Sexual Health Services\n- Community Circles\n- Community Conversations\n- Community Connections\n- Community Education\n- Community Resourcing

GenderNexus is reliant upon the strong, consistent, intentional, and detailed approach of their Executive Director, Julie Walsh. In her lifelong work as an international consultant and trainer, Julie has been committed to advancing social justice by dismantling cis-, het-, and mono-normative narratives. Julie holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Butler University, a master’s degree in social work with a dual concentration in leadership and mental health/addictions from Indiana University (IU), and is completing her PhD in social work with a focus in nonprofit management from IU. As the visionary for this organization, she brings experience as a trainer, an advocate, a social worker, and a disciplined leader who understands the structure needed to sustain substantial programming. Julie wears many hats to spearhead this scrappy organization, which includes the cultivation of meaningful relationships within transgender communities and among providers, strategic planning, fundraising and development, fiscal management, program and curriculum development, marketing and communications, staff supervision, and mentorship and guidance to interns through the service-learning philosophy that exists within the organization. She rounds out her time by providing some of the direct services including medical letter consultations, relationship counseling, vocal coaching, clinic case management, and school advocacy. Because Julie has spent an inordinate amount of time doing both the micro and macro work of the organization, she is well-suited to interview for and delegate responsibilities to a qualified Reach Director who would not only assume some of the duties she has been carrying, but who would grow the program based on the demonstrated need.\n\nGenderNexus has the internal capacity to track and report on grant funding and utilizes GAP standards in accounting practices. A core of six devoted board members, plus those in the current candidate pool, demonstrate the power and passion to provide oversight to a young, growing organization. GenderNexus also incorporates the consumer voice at every juncture where services rendered are most often provided by the community for the community with the community fully engaged in leadership positions where strategic visioning takes place. This is a central organizational value that shifts the power to whom it belongs.

During 2015 and 2016, business was conducted on a part-time basis in coffee houses and libraries. Since moving into their first office space in spring 2017, GenderNexus has begun to live more fully into their vision, attracting a growing number of consumers, volunteers, and community partners.\nGenderNexus has experienced tremendous programmatic growth and reach over the past couple years. Nearly 1,000 people accessed direct services such as case management and counseling in 2019, a 72% increase from 2019. The care coordination that we offer to youth and their families in the GenderHealth Clinic at Riley increased by 85% in 2019. Since 2018, we have developed and implemented 10 new support groups for transgender individuals and their loved ones. In addition to the services we offer onsite, we have facilitated community trainings that foster self-awareness and examination of the personal practices and professional strategies that create a more affirming and welcoming environment for people of all genders. These trainings have reached an audience of over 1,200 people. \n\nOperationally, we had the ability to begin paying staff salaries in 2019 and have continued to rely upon a dozen generous volunteers to facilitate programming and support. The Board of Directors continues to gain strength and momentum as an active, working team who is updating governance policies, co-creating strategic goals and objectives, monitoring the financial health of the organization, and assisting with fundraising and development. We have established collaborative program support with IU Health, The Damien Center, Step-Up, Indiana Legal Services, Indiana Recovery Alliance, and The Sierra Club. We also partner on projects with Indiana Youth Group, Indy Pride, the ACLU, and Central Indiana Community Foundation.\n\nDespite this tremendous organizational growth, we have sustained our work on a meager budget, with a modest increase from 2018 to 2019 by only 14%. We are hopeful that we will be able to sustain our work and to more fully address the disparities transgender people experience by living into our 2020 budget with a base growth of 54% from 2019.